Crowd Forms Around Clorox Call Options

Today’s tickers: CLX, IGT, EBAY & NVLS CLX  - Clorox Co. –  Bullish options activity on the manufacturer and marketer of a range of consumer goods jumped this afternoon with shares in Clorox Company rising 5.6% to $71.94. Clorox has been the subject of takeover chatter on several occasions over the years, which in the past tended to drive up the price of the underlying as well as call volume and options implied volatility. No rumors have come to our attention today, but shares are soaring, calls are in high demand and implied volatility is up sharply by 82.6% to arrive at 25.20% by 1:55 pm ET. Options traders are piling into Clorox calls to buy into the rapid rise in the price of the underlying. Volume is heaviest at the July $70 strike where more than 4,200 now deep in-the-money calls changed hands against open interest of 2,322 contracts. Most of the calls at this strike were purchased by first-responders for an average premium of just $0.40 each. The huge run-up in volatility and rally in share price has lifted premium on the July $70 strike calls up to $1.90 each this afternoon. Bulls tacked August contract calls, as well. Traders purchased the majority of the 1,285 calls exchanged at the August $72.5 strike for an average premium of $0.44 a-pop. Investors long the calls profit in the event that shares exceed the average breakeven price of $72.94 through August expiration. Shares in Clorox Co. reached their current all-time high of $72.43 back on February 11. The maker of bleach and Burt’s Bees® personal care products reports fourth-quarter earnings ahead of the opening bell on August 3. IGT  - International Game Technology –  Options on International Game Technology, which were popular with strategists positioning for shares in the maker of…